


Sick As A Dog

by nebulaesailor



Series: PSMD drabbles & worldbuilding [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
Genre: Family, Family Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-02-13 03:16:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21487459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nebulaesailor/pseuds/nebulaesailor
Summary: Tegan gets sick on a dungeon exploration and Nuzleaf has to take care of them.
Relationships: Konohana | Nuzleaf & Player Character (Pokemon Mystery Dungeon)
Series: PSMD drabbles & worldbuilding [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2069694
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	Sick As A Dog

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting in my docs for a month, just stareing at me. The ending is half-assed and lazy but I just kinda ran out of things to say. This kinda follows the format of all my sickfics because I am lazy but also a fluff glutton. Sue me.

Tegan leaned against Sara and Espurr who tried to stabilize them enough so they could walk home from the dungeon. They had collapsed halfway through the dungeon while on a mission which resulted in Sara being forced to use an Escape Orb and drag their feverish body back to town. To add even more to their embarrassment, Espurr had contacted Nuzleaf who was going to meet them at the village gate probably extremely anxious and going to smother them as their father was a mother hen. Their cheeks couldn’t be redder even if they weren’t flushed from fever. 

Through their blurry vision, they could make out Nuzleaf’s pacing form as he rushed over to them to get a closer look at his sick child. Tegan tried to shrug off both of their friends to show they could walk on their own only to nearly faceplant in the dirt if it wasn’t for Nuzleaf catching them in time. They sighed as Nuzleaf pressed the back of his hand against their forehead to check for fever.

“You’re burning up, kiddo. Let’s get you home.” Nuzleaf concerned voice reached their ears as they weakly tried to fight off his hands when he tried to pick them up. 

“M’ fine. I can walk on my own.” Tegan slurred as they tried to take another step before nearly collapsing again.

“No can do, Tegan. You can’t even stand up on your own, I’m gonna have‘ta carry you.” He explained it slowly as if he was talking to a young child which if they didn’t feel like their head was stuffed with cotton, they would be insulted.

“ No, ‘m can do it. ‘M fine.” They continued to mutter in their delirium even as Nuzleaf was already gathering them into his arms.

“Say that all ya want, Tegan. I’m still gonna carry ya home.” Nuzleaf looked down at their sweaty shivering form and pressed them closer to his chest.

“Are they going to be okay?” Sara asked, her voice slightly dripping with concern. 

“Yeah, it’s probably just a small bug. They’ll be fine in a day or two. Tegan just needs some rest.” Nuzleaf tried to reassure her even though she could see how anxious he was. 

“I can ask Watchog for some herbs as he seems to have a huge collection of them. Every time I cough or sneeze, he forces me to drink this really bitter tea. He’s quite a hypochondriac.” Espurr offered though Nuzleaf shook his head.

“It’s fine, kiddo. I have plenty of medicinal herbs from my garden. We’re plenty well stocked though I appreciate the offer.” He nodded at the children before turning to leave only to Tegan clutch their stomach and let out a sharp whine.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Your belly botherin’ you?” Nuzleaf kneeled down to get a better look at them, brushing back their sweaty forelocks of fur in an attempt to comfort them.

“It hurts really bad!” They whimpered as their face turned an unsettling shade of green and next thing they knew they had puked all over Nuzleaf’s front.

“Oh, Tegan, you’re a mess. Do ya think that’s all of it or do ya think there’s more comin’.” Nuzleaf looked frankly disgusted but it was hard to be angry when Tegan was crying.

“ ‘m sorry!” They blubbered as Nuzleaf sighed and lifted them back up again as they started towards home.

“Thanks for the trouble, ya’ll. See ya later once they’re well again.” Nuzleaf waived as Sara scrunched up her nose from the smell, grateful that she dodged that vomit bullet.

“I’ll get Pops to make you some soup and bring it over!” Sara called out as Nuzleaf disappeared out of view. 

The rest of the walk home was uneventful and gross. Nuzleaf stepped into the house and stripped Tegan of their sweater and bag then placing them in the wooden tub by the woodstove and started to boil some water for the bath. He undid his vomit covered clock and placed it in a basket along with the sweater to wash at a later date. Once the water was warm enough for his liking, he took it off of the stove and filled the tub. With a washcloth, he scrubbed the vomit from Tegan’s fur along with what was left on him; he used a cup to dunk water over their head and let them soak to help ease their chills and aches.

Tegan was then wrapped in a towel and placed on his massive feather bed as it was easier to take care of them in the main room of the house. He walked into their room, gathering their star quilt and their cresselia plush along with a thin cotton nightshirt. Helping them into into the nightshirt, Nuzleaf tucked Tegan into bed with many quilts to make sure they were warm enough and with Sella safely tucked into the corner of one arm. He smoothed their sweaty fur back with one calloused hand and again left to fill a basin with cold water along with a washcloth which he left on the nightstand. Pressing a kiss against their forehead, he dunked the cloth into the basin and folded into a cold compress then placed it on their forehead. 

"Try and close your eyes and get some shut eye. Ya feel alot better when ya do." He told them as they looked up at him with one glassy intact eye and whined.

"It hurts." They whimpered and Nuzleaf sighed, rubbing their stomach hoping that it will soothe them enough to ease the pain and go sleep.

"I'm gonna be right here the entire time, I ain't gonna leave." He said as they shut their eye and were out like a light.

\---------

Nuzleaf squatted out in the garden, pulling ginger and carrots out of the ground along with gather herbs off of the bushes. He gathered the things he harvested and walked back into his house, placing them on the counter. Washing the dirt off his hands along with the vegetables, he then got a kettle and filled it with water. The ginger was grated and added to the water along with feverfew, he then placed it over the woodstove to boil. 

Taking a knife out of the drawer then locking it, he started to cut and dice the vegetables. Nuzleaf then added them to the pot of broth he had been cooking since Tegan fell asleep. Walking to the ice box in the corner, he then pulled out a round of feral meat* and cut into bite sized pieces and also added it to the soup pot. He threw the scraps in the compost and placed the dirty knife back into the drawer; the kettle whistling in the background to remind him it was done. He took it off of the stove and poured the tea into a mug; adding sitrus berry juice and honey to make it more palatable.

Mug in hand, he walked towards his bed were Tegan was still sleeping. Nuzleaf gently shook them awake; Tegan responded by curling in on themselves and letting out an irritated whine. He sighed and propped them with pillows as he pressed the cup of tea into their paws which made them frown harder. 

"Tegan, I made ya some tea help with your bellyache and fever. You're gonna have to drink if ya wanna get better. I know it's gonna be bitter, that's why I added sitrus berry and honey. No complaining." He told them covering his hands over their paws

"Fine." Was all they said as they sipped some of it and placed the mug on the nightstand.

"I'm making some soup for dinner if you feel up to it." He said, Tegan nodded as their stomach had settled some from the morning but not by much.

"How are ya feeling, darling." He asked as they shook their head and tugged on his hand to lie down with them.

"Gross, achy, and sweaty." They replied, curling up in Nuzleaf's lap when he sat down on the bed. 

"Well that's bein' sick for ya. I wanna check your temperature so stay still." He took off the now warm compress and rested the back of his palm on their forehead.

"You're still a bit too warm for my likin'. Let's get you back under the covers and another compress on your noggin." He said lifting them up despite their protests and laying them back on the bed, covering them back up in blankets.

"But I wanna cuddle!" They whined, Nuzleaf snorted at how clingy they were when they were ill.

"Okay, kid, but I'll need to check the soup pot occasionally and you need to be restin'." He said as he pulled back the covers and climbed in where Tegan instantly took to burrowing into his side like a barnacle*.

Reaching over to the basin on the table, he dunk the cloth and wring it out. He then folded it and placed it on Tegan's brow who had easily fallen back into dozing. Nuzleaf sighed and rested his chin on the top of their head, shutting his eyes to take a late afternoon nap along with them. After all, he was not one to let the chance of a siesta escape him especially if it was with his favorite person no matter how sweaty and gross they were.

\-----  
"I'm not a baby, you don't need to feed me!" Tegan shrieked as Nuzleaf chuckled and blew on a spoonful of soup before holding it in front of their face. 

" I don't know to tell ya, sweetheart. Right now you're weaker than a litten and can't even hold a spoon. I'm gonna have to feed ya." Nuzleaf chided and maneuver the spoon past their pursed lips.

"I feel like a child." They grumble, Nuzleaf slapped his knees and let out a loud laugh.

"Hate to break it to ya, kiddo, but you are a child. Ya paws are still too big for your body." He smiled and massaged their paw pads with his calloused thumb.

Tegan continued to glower as Nuzleaf fed her dinner until there was not much left in the bowl and was set aside on the nightstand. Flushed with fever and as cranky as ever, the riolu tried to wiggle themselves free of the blankets that their father had swaddled them in. But their body was traitor and they could only half heartedly flop around like a magikarp on land. Nuzleaf placed a hand on their chest to tell them to stop and they could only let a frustrated grunt before going limp.

"I'm bored!" They whined and Nuzleaf couldn't only chuckle and comb back their sweaty bangs with his fingers.

"Well ya can read or you can sleep. Bein' sick is boring, sorry to disappoint ya." Tegan's face scrunched up in childish indignation and ready to whine like a broken hinge but stopped after the look he shot them.

"Fine. Can you read to me?" Their ears twitched and pinned close to their skull in embarrassment.

"Of course, darling. What book ya want me to read?" Nuzleaf asked as he got up from his chair.

"Um, the one about the human girl who has psychic powers." They mumbled as the corners of Nuzleaf's mouth quirked into a smile.

"Matilda?" He replied as they nodded and he went to their room to pick the book from the shelf.

He climbed on the other side of the bed and sat up again the headboard. Tegan leaned against Nuzleaf, resting their head on his shoulders. Flipping to the first chapter, he cleared his throat and started to read the first chapter. Nuzleaf was a natural storyteller from whom he inherited from his mother. He could hold and captivate an audience for hours just by his voice alone let alone when it came to telling his own original stories. Often he would use this to his advantage when getting Tegan to be still and rest as the kid constantly needed to be preoccupied or else they would fall back into self harm stimming or obsessing. 

It only took roughly an hour for them to fall asleep where in which they were in their favorite position, sprawled out on their father's chest. They were so small for their age that they looked more like a young child than a preteen on the cusp of adolescence. Nuzleaf placed the book down on his bedside table, then adjusting himself into a more comfortable position so he could rest more comfortably. He combed his fingers through their thick forelock of hair, feeling their leg twitch under the blankets along with the slight thumping of their tail. He hoped their dreams were at least pleasant instead of the horrible nightmares they were plagued by. 

All of these seemed so normal and mundane. He felt like he had known Tegan for her entire life instead of a year; she felt like his flesh and blood instead of some random kid he took in on a whim. They truly felt like a family even if it was small and had a tumultuous dishonest beginning. Despite how awful Dark Matter was, there was one thing he couldn't help but be grateful for and that was Tegan. They were there for each other even through the grossest illnesses and demonic possessions. It was a bond that couldn't be broken even if he tried. For that he was grateful. He truly was.

**Author's Note:**

> Nuzleaf is a good dad you guys. He tries so hard.


End file.
